Wedding Wednesday

One of the most interesting and certainly one of the most well attended weddings in my data base was that of Laura Ansley (1891-1935) and her husband to be - Rucker McCarty (1888-1974).

The couple were wed 06 NOV 1913 in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. Reading the following write up on their wedding in the Atlanta Constitution made me wonder just how big of a house this family owned? Must have been quite formidable from all that we read here. Read on and see what you think!

Wedding and Debut Dance Brilliant Social Functions

The marriage of Miss Laura Ansley and Mr. Rucker McCarty was an event of brilliant social interest and picturesque elaboration, taking place last night at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Edwin P. Ansley, in Ansley Park.

Several hundred guests were present, and afterwards the younger set remained for Miss Mamie Ansley's debut dance, a bright and beautiful occasion.

The scene of the marriage ceremony was the great reception hall in the center of the house, and the guests looked in upon it from the surrounding apartments and the spacious porch, which runs the length of the reception hall, wide windows opening out upon it.

The bride entered with her father, and the groom with his best man, Mr. George McCarty. Miss Mamie Ansley was maid of honor, and Misses Mignon and Margaret McCarty, Frances Ansley and Annie Lee McKenzie were bridesmaids.
The Ceremony Scene
The backdrop for the bridal group was a masking of palms the length of the room to meet a frieze of smilax. The mantel, massed with variegated foliage, was the center of the background, and on it burned white candles in brass candelabra, and in the center was a burst of Easter lilies.

Arching over the mantel was a canopy of smilax starred with Easter lilies and bordered with white rose shaded lights, while a shower of valley lilies formed a fringe. Tall white and gold baskets of Easter lilies and white candles in cathedral candlesticks at each side completed a beautiful effect. At one end of the room a tall white vase of lilies was reflected in a smilax hung console mirror, and the entire apartment had a mural decoration of Smilax. The wedding picture was inclosed by a railing of white ribbon and fern festooned between white posts.
The music of a string orchestra floated out from behind a screen of palms in one of the parlors, the program one of rare appropriateness.
The Bridal Party
The bride, a beauty of well poised bearing, was gowned in white satin, its texture heavy but graceful, and it was trimmed with chiffon and rose point lace, which draped the corsage and fell the length of the skirt into the train. Its finish was an embroidery of pearls, and the bridal bouquet of valley lilies fit into the arm and was showered.
The maid of honor was a strikingly pretty picture in green chiffon and lace over white satin, its trimming of ermine, and her flowers and those of the bridesmaids were pink roses in bridesmaid wreaths hung over the arm and falling to the hem of the gown. The bridesmaids wore pale pink chiffon.

Mrs. Ansley wore a handsome costume in white satin draped with chiffon and lace. Mrs. George W. McCarty was gowned in white satin.
The Bride's Table
A buffet supper was served the guests, and the bride's table was set in the sun parlor, a pretty enclosure of stone and glass, which was hung with smilax and lined with palms.
Seated there, beside the bride and groom and their attendants, were Misses Passie Ottley, Virginia Jenkins of Virginia and Lucy Smith, Messrs Edwin McCarty, Philip L'Engle, Remsen King, Welborn Blalock, J. Millican of Greenville, Tenn., Milton Dargan and Charles Sciple.
In the center of the table was a large mirror with a billowy ruffle wreath of pink tulle, out of which rose at close intervals low vases of lilies of the valley. At the wider curves of the wreath were crystal vases of pink rosebuds, the vases chained from one to another with roses of valley lilies.
Reflected in the mirror was a chandelier framed with tiers of asparagus fern out of which shone small electric lights through pink rosebud shads. The crystal candlesticks had white gauze ribbon shades embroidered in orange blossoms and fringed with valley lilies, and the places were marked by monogram jewelry boxes for the young ladies, the boxes filled with cake, and amber cigarette holders in leather cases with the men's monograms. The wedding cake was embossed with orange blossoms.
Punch was served at each end of the porch, which was inclosed in canvas, the walls of the canvas and stone hung with bamboo, and baytrees, palms and chrysanthemums making an indoor garden effect. Presiding at the punch bowls were Misses Helen McCarty, Bertha Moore, Adgate Ellis, Jessie McKee and Helen McCullough.
The Debutante
The several reception rooms had artistic decoration in palms and smilax, and in one parlor the pretty debutante stood in the midst of palms and a wreath of beautiful blossoms to receive her welcome into the social life. Around her were tall baskets of American Beauties and of chrysanthemums, and clusters of the florists' rarest treasures in bouquets shed their fragrance around her.
Miss Ansley is one of the prettiest and most winsome young women in the debutante set, and her popularity already promises to rival her sister's.
Among the out of town guests at the wedding were Mrs. Frank Ansley and Mrs. Brandon, of Thomasville, and Mr. & Mrs. Lewis Ansley of Charleston.
Mr. and Mrs. McCarty went to Florida on their wedding trip. Their marriage centered a more than usual interest, since both are of prominent family and there are no more popular young people in the social life. The bride unites musical tastes and accomplishment with her other social graces, and Mr. McCarty has proven his business ability as well as the qualities that make popularity. He is associated with his father, Mr. George W. McCarty, in the firm of A.D. Adair & McCarty Bros.
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So, did you catch the fact that her sister made her debutant debute the same night as the wedding, in the same house across the hall? One can only imagine what that night was like. Thanks to the Atlanta Constitution we at least can read & wonder....

Happy Researching!
Karen